A non-optimal movement pattern of the body or parts of the body is a major cause of pain and lesions or injuries in the locomotion system. Movement analysis is crucial for prophylaxis, diagnosing and treatment of such lesions, and in sports an optimal movement pattern is essential for optimal and injury free performance.
Until now movement analysis has primarily been performed by monitoring movement of points on the body during motion, e.g. by use of advanced video technology where retro reflective optical markers on the body are tracked during motion with one or multiple video cameras. However, such video-based methods for analysing body motion and body loads are impractical since they normally require use of a treadmill and large dedicated rooms.
Accordingly, there is a need to enable monitoring of body motion without restricting the motion to be carried out in a particular environment, room or with use of a treadmill.
U.S. 2010324457 discloses a system that records position data for portions of a body as a function of time. The position data can be collected from one or more sensors secured to the body either individually or using a patch. The sensors, in some embodiments, can include stretch sensors that produce a change in electrical resistance as the stretch sensors are stretched as a result of body movement. A data logger can be used to record the data. Various other elements such as a feedback mechanism or a manual pain indicator can also be included.
The inventor of the present invention has appreciated that improved methods analysing body motion for determining body load is of benefit, and has in consequence devised the present invention.